In a move that has outraged Howard Stern fans nationwide, radio broadcasting giant Clear Channel Communications cut the popular shock jock from its stations.
The move came as a result of recent efforts to crack down on indecency in broadcasting entertainment.
In a Feb. 25 press release, Clear Channel CEO Paul Hogan said, “Clear Channel drew a line the sand today with regards to protecting our listeners from indecent content and Howard Stern’s show blew right through it.”
Hogan also said that Stern’s show is vulgar, offensive and insulting “not just to women and African Americans, but to anyone with a sense of common decency.”
While Stern’s controversial show will continue to run on New York’s WXRK-FM, it will not run in six major cities, including San Diego, Pittsburgh and Orlando.
Stern’s show is no stranger to discipline from radio executives.
The Associated Press reported that in 1995, Infinity Broadcasting, which syndicates the show, was fined $1.7 million for indecency by Stern. This is the largest cumulative fine to date.
Lawmakers and broadcast networks have been on a censorship rampage since Janet Jackson’s “accidental” breast exposure during the recent Super Bowl half-time show.
While CBS imposed a five-minute tape delay on the Grammy Awards broadcast and ABC had a five second delay on last week’s Academy Awards ceremony, the Associated Press reported that Congress has plans to increase the indecency fine from $27,500 to $275,000.
Susan Brown, an instructor in LSU’s Manship School of Mass Communications, said that she is amazed at how much Stern has been able to get away with.
“His show is syndicated through Infinity Broadcasting, and they have received record-setting fines because of him,” Brown said. “His show has been widely popular, and has been fined many times.”
Joe Richardson, station manager for KLSU 91.1, was surprised by the Stern situation.
“I am surprised Clear Channel came down on Howard Stern so hard because he’s been doing this for so long,” Richardson said. “The radio stations should know what is going out on their airwaves.”
Richardson voiced a strong opinion on the FCC’s role in the regulation of the broadcast media.
“I think that it could cause some negativity among people,” Richardson said. “It should be left up to the public to decide what they want (on the air), not the federal government.”